TDS Moodboards: Using Shades of Purple In Your Home

Simple with small pops of purple. Gorgeous! | Design by Studio McGee | Photo Source: Studio McGee

I know so many people who love purple, but just can’t seem to figure out how to put it in their homes. Like I said in my post last week, it’s a hard color to decorate with. Not only is it hard to come by as an accessory, but larger pieces of furniture in this color tend to look quite bold especially because purple is such a regal color.

But using purple can be a very realistic option for you even if your color scheme is already set. You just might have to swap out a few key pieces to make it work.

Photo Source: Hi Sugarplum

Photo Source: Hi Sugarplum

I love the way Price Style & Design incorporated pops of purple in this room. Leslie Price, the designer, used the same colors from the rug so that there’s a hint of orange, maroon and purple around the room. It looks subtle, elegant and totally achievable. Love. | Photo Source: Price Style & Design

As you can see, in the Hi Sugarplum living room and the Price Style & Design rooms, a neutral base allows some flexibility with color. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy a larger piece of furniture in a shade of purple, just remember though that you may not be able to change the color scheme as easily then.

Anyways, these rooms were so inspiring to me that I thought I’d play around with some purple accessories and furnishings for a TDS Styles post to show you how you can make a room look awesome in this color!

Tone on Tone

You can try the whole tone on tone approach, which is basically just layering different shades of purple in a room. It’s important to start with an inspiration piece though, so that you have a base to work off of. In this particular room, the rug is a great place to start, then you can use the same shades and undertones for the rest of the room. And how great does purple look with brass?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

Pops of Purple

In this room you’re still pretty much using a purple statement piece (the rug) and accessories, but allowing a few different other colors to enter the picture. Not a lot of variation, but enough to give the room a sense of a different color scheme. I’ve noticed that I especially love purple with blues, greens and pinks. Also remember to add some texture and darker shades if you want to add a little bit of depth.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23

Different Color Scheme with a Neutral Base

This is probably the most realistic option for most of you. Even if you have a set color scheme, you can incorporate purple by echoing the same shades in various accessories as opposed to statement pieces. As you can see, this room is using a lighter lavender that shows up in the paintings, the pillows, and even the dried lavender stems. The dark purple hydrangeas add a little bit of depth to the room as well.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23

If you’re still confused as to how to use purple within your specific color scheme, try using a color palette resource like Design Seeds to help you figure out how to pair certain color combinations. If you look it up on Pinterest, you don’t have to pay for your inspo either 😉

Photo Source: @interiorbysarahstrath

Photo Source: @interiorbysarahstrath

Good luck with your purple rooms!